The 2015 Simple Living Handbooks

We might be closing in on the end of February (when did that happen?) but it's never too late to think about what you want your year to be. If you haven't already, ask yourself what you want to see when you stand at the end of 2015 and look back.

Last year I wrote the 2014 in 2014 Declutter Handbook to help people see a simpler, slower home at the end of the year and over 6,000 people did just that. Many of them decluttered tens of thousands of items from their homes and created the simpler, slower lives they were craving.

As 2014 drew to a close, I had many requests for a 2015 challenge that would help participants extend their efforts to simplify life. I didn't want to offer the same challenge again to those who had already completed it but I also didn’t want to ignore new participants and their need to start at the beginning.

While it may be a little later than I'd hoped, the 2015 Simple Living Handbooks (Stages One and Two) have landed.

This is the first time I’ve split the Simple Living Handbook (previously known as the 2014 in 2014 Annual Declutter Challenge) into two separate resources. 

Stage One has been written for those just beginning the journey into simpler, slower living and who need guidance in starting and maintaining their simplifying and decluttering efforts.

It is a month-by-month guidebook that leads you through decluttering all major areas of your home. Completing this book and the checklists and exercises included will change your home from one of overwhelming clutter to one of clutter-free calm.

The chapters we cover in the Stage One Handbook are:

• Baby Steps
• Utility Spaces
• Paper Clutter
• Bedrooms
• Wardrobes
• Kitchen
• Big Jobs
• Living Spaces
• Memories
• Change
• Consolidation
• Celebration

Stage Two has been designed for those who are ready to go further in their simplifying efforts. Maybe you already have a very good handle on the ‘stuff’ side of simplifying or have been actively decluttering for some time and feel ready to focus on other areas of your home and life.

This is also a month-by-month guidebook with checklists and exercises for each area we cover. But rather than focus only on the physical side of simplifying, Stage 2 looks at:

• Finding your Why
• Revisiting Clutter
• Emotional and Aspirational Clutter
• Establishing Rhythms
• Creating Simple Systems for your Home
• Adding, Not Subtracting
• Simplify you Food
• Green Cleaning
• Green Living
• Slowing Down and Moving More
• Social Media
• Comparisons
• Digital Life
• Mindful Holidays

(Please note, the complete Stage 2 Handbook will be released in March. For now, you can download the first seven chapters.)

If you’re in doubt as to which handbook you need, I suggest you start with Stage One and ensure you have the basics of simplifying on lockdown. If there’s one thing I’ve learnt over the past 4 years of simple living, it’s that the entire process is anything but straightforward, so you really want to have your ducks in a row before moving on to the next stage.

So, welcome to 2015! Is this the year you create a simpler, slower home?

Go ahead and download your copy here:

The 2015 Simple Living Handbook: Stage 1

The 2015 Simple Living Handbook: Stage 2

It’s free. It’s really good. And it’s going to help you get started on the road to a simpler, slower - regardless of where or what time of the year you begin.